Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock defeat by home favourite Jeremy Chardy on a bad day for Russians at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-cilic-raonic-make-winning-starts-at-paris-masters-federer-withdraws-258577">Paris Masters</a> on Tuesday but Alexander Zverev boosted his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals.

Medvedev, who will make his debut at the ATP Finals in London next month after a barnstorming season, lost for the first time since the US&nbsp;Open final, going down 4-6 6-2 6-4.

Earlier defending champion Karen Khachanov was bundled out by Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff, losing 7-6(5) 3-6 7-5.

The 29-year-old Struff finished off the eighth seed with a superb smash from the baseline. Defeat ruled Khachanov out of the running for the ATP Finals.

Medvedev was on a nine-match winning run taking in St Petersburg and Shanghai where he took his tally of titles this season to four, but he came up against an inspired Chardy.

The Russian, who had reached six successive finals, looked in control when he took the first set but he ultimately paid for failing to convert 14 of the 15 break points he carved out.

Chardy even saved one as he served for the match in the decider, going on to reach the third round at the Paris event for the first time at the 10th attempt.

Chardy will face Chile's Cristian Garin or 2016 finalist John Isner of the US&nbsp;in the next round.

Struff chiselled out a tough first set with a backhand winner at 5-5 in the tiebreak before serving an ace.

Khachanov roared back to win 12 of the first 17 points of the second set on his way to levelling.

Struff let slip a 3-1 lead in the decider but broke again when Khachanov served at 5-6.

Zverev, who won last season's ATP Finals and is bidding to take one of the remaining two slots for this year's event with a strong showing in Paris, needed less than an hour to beat Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-1 6-3.

The German, who is seventh in the Race to London standings, will face Denis Shapovalov or Fabio Fognini in the next round.

Top seed Novak Djokovic begins with a second-round clash against French lucky loser Corentin Moutet.

Second seed Rafa Nadal, playing his first tournament since getting married this month, also begins against a Frenchman in wildcard Adrian Mannarino.

Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock defeat by home favourite Jeremy Chardy on a bad day for Russians at the Paris Masters on Tuesday but Alexander Zverev boosted his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals.

Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock defeat by home favourite Jeremy Chardy on a bad day for Russians at the Paris Masters on Tuesday but Alexander Zverev boosted his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals. Medvedev, who will make his debut at the ATP Finals in London next month after a barnstorming season, lost for the first time since the US Open final, going down 4-6 6-2 6-4. Earlier defending champion Karen Khachanov was bundled out by Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff, losing 7-6(5) 3-6 7-5. The 29-year-old Struff finished off the eighth seed with a superb smash from the baseline. Defeat ruled Khachanov out of the running for the ATP Finals. Medvedev was on a nine-match winning run taking in St Petersburg and Shanghai where he took his tally of titles this season to four, but he came up against an inspired Chardy. The Russian, who had reached six successive finals, looked in control when he took the first set but he ultimately paid for failing to convert 14 of the 15 break points he carved out. Chardy even saved one as he served for the match in the decider, going on to reach the third round at the Paris event for the first time at the 10th attempt. Chardy will face Chile's Cristian Garin or 2016 finalist John Isner of the US in the next round. Struff chiselled out a tough first set with a backhand winner at 5-5 in the tiebreak before serving an ace. Khachanov roared back to win 12 of the first 17 points of the second set on his way to levelling. Struff let slip a 3-1 lead in the decider but broke again when Khachanov served at 5-6. Zverev, who won last season's ATP Finals and is bidding to take one of the remaining two slots for this year's event with a strong showing in Paris, needed less than an hour to beat Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-1 6-3. The German, who is seventh in the Race to London standings, will face Denis Shapovalov or Fabio Fognini in the next round. Top seed Novak Djokovic begins with a second-round clash against French lucky loser Corentin Moutet. Second seed Rafa Nadal, playing his first tournament since getting married this month, also begins against a Frenchman in wildcard Adrian Mannarino.

Paris Masters tennis: Chardy ends Medvedev's winning run

Stephen Strasburg baffled Houston's batters and Anthony Rendon drove in five runs to power the Washington Nationals over the Astros 7-2 Tuesday, forcing a one-game winner-take-all showdown for the 115th World Series championship.

Washington pulled level at 3-3 in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven final, setting up a seventh game Wednesday to decide the title.

Strasburg allowed two runs on five hits over 8 1/3 masterful innings while walking two and striking out seven Houston batters, improving to 5-0 in the playoffs after an 18-6 season.

"Big pitchers do what he did," said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. "I told him, 'You were tremendous. You picked us up and because of you, we're going to game seven'," added Martinez, who was ejected late on after a disputed call.

Washington's Juan Soto and Adam Eaton blasted solo home runs in the fifth inning and Houston native Rendon hit a two-run homer in the seventh and a two-run double in the ninth.

"Rendon stepped up big," Martinez said.

That was enough run production for the Nationals thanks to Strasburg mystifying the Houston hitters who had produced 19 runs over the prior three games.

"I saw an incredible pitcher," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "He was really good. We didn't put a lot of stress on him."

Strasburg had been tipping his pitches to Houston hitters in the first inning when Alex Bregman homered off him, but Martinez solved the problem.

"I said, 'You're tipping you're pitching. We need to fix it,'" Martinez said. "After that, he was lights out."

Strasburg began to wiggle his glove to throw the Astros off.

"Started shaking my glove so they didn't know what I was throwing. Obviously, they look for certain things," Strasburg said. "It's something that has burned me in the past and they burned me there in the first.

"It's just a part of the game. You've got to do your best to stay consistent in your delivery on each pitch."

Martinez became the first World Series manager ejected since Atlanta's Bobby Cox in 1996, needing to be restrained from angrily confronting umpires after a controversial call in the seventh inning.

"I'm not going to criticize the umpires about anything," Martinez said. "I don't really want to make this about me and take away from what the boys did. It was a judgement call. I don't want to make it about one play."

The Nationals, who improved to 4-0 in playoff elimination games this month, will start three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer in game seven after neck spasms kept him out of game five. Fellow right-hander Zack Greinke will start for Houston.

"We have a great opportunity to play a game seven in the World Series in our ballpark," Hinch said.

But a World Series in which Houston was one of the heaviest favorites in years has turned into a historical epic, the first World Series with road teams winning the first six games.

"It's weird," Martinez said. "You can't explain it."

The Astros will try for their second title in three seasons while the Nationals seek the first crown in their franchise's 50-year history.

It would also be the first World Series title for Washington since 1924.

Houston's Justin Verlander, who won a season-best 21 games, surrendered three runs on five hits to suffer the loss and remain winless in seven career World Series starts, the most of any pitcher without a win. His 0-6 record is the all-time worst World Series mark.

Washington clung to a 3-2 lead in the seventh when controversy struck.

Nationals shortstop Trea Turner was called out for interference on first baseman Yuli Gurriel and the decision was upheld after a 4 1/2-minute video review. It would cost Washington a run when Rendon smashed a homer to left field.

After the inning, Martinez angrily moved toward the umpires, bench coach Chip Hale restraining him. But Martinez yelled until home plate umpire Sam Holbrook ejected him, leaving Hale to take the team to the finish.

Rendon's two-run homer put Washington ahead 5-2 and his two-run double in the ninth added more insurance runs.

Stephen Strasburg baffled Houston's batters and Anthony Rendon drove in five runs to power the Washington Nationals over the Astros 7-2 Tuesday, forcing a one-game winner-take-all showdown for the 115th World Series championship.

Stephen Strasburg baffled Houston's batters and Anthony Rendon drove in five runs to power the Washington Nationals over the Astros 7-2 Tuesday, forcing a one-game winner-take-all showdown for the 115th World Series championship. Washington pulled level at 3-3 in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven final, setting up a seventh game Wednesday to decide the title. Strasburg allowed two runs on five hits over 8 1/3 masterful innings while walking two and striking out seven Houston batters, improving to 5-0 in the playoffs after an 18-6 season. "Big pitchers do what he did," said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. "I told him, 'You were tremendous. You picked us up and because of you, we're going to game seven'," added Martinez, who was ejected late on after a disputed call. Washington's Juan Soto and Adam Eaton blasted solo home runs in the fifth inning and Houston native Rendon hit a two-run homer in the seventh and a two-run double in the ninth. "Rendon stepped up big," Martinez said. That was enough run production for the Nationals thanks to Strasburg mystifying the Houston hitters who had produced 19 runs over the prior three games. "I saw an incredible pitcher," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "He was really good. We didn't put a lot of stress on him." Strasburg had been tipping his pitches to Houston hitters in the first inning when Alex Bregman homered off him, but Martinez solved the problem. "I said, 'You're tipping you're pitching. We need to fix it,'" Martinez said. "After that, he was lights out." Strasburg began to wiggle his glove to throw the Astros off. "Started shaking my glove so they didn't know what I was throwing. Obviously, they look for certain things," Strasburg said. "It's something that has burned me in the past and they burned me there in the first. "It's just a part of the game. You've got to do your best to stay consistent in your delivery on each pitch." Martinez became the first World Series manager ejected since Atlanta's Bobby Cox in 1996, needing to be restrained from angrily confronting umpires after a controversial call in the seventh inning. "I'm not going to criticize the umpires about anything," Martinez said. "I don't really want to make this about me and take away from what the boys did. It was a judgement call. I don't want to make it about one play." The Nationals, who improved to 4-0 in playoff elimination games this month, will start three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer in game seven after neck spasms kept him out of game five. Fellow right-hander Zack Greinke will start for Houston. "We have a great opportunity to play a game seven in the World Series in our ballpark," Hinch said. But a World Series in which Houston was one of the heaviest favorites in years has turned into a historical epic, the first World Series with road teams winning the first six games. "It's weird," Martinez said. "You can't explain it." The Astros will try for their second title in three seasons while the Nationals seek the first crown in their franchise's 50-year history. It would also be the first World Series title for Washington since 1924. Houston's Justin Verlander, who won a season-best 21 games, surrendered three runs on five hits to suffer the loss and remain winless in seven career World Series starts, the most of any pitcher without a win. His 0-6 record is the all-time worst World Series mark. Washington clung to a 3-2 lead in the seventh when controversy struck. Nationals shortstop Trea Turner was called out for interference on first baseman Yuli Gurriel and the decision was upheld after a 4 1/2-minute video review. It would cost Washington a run when Rendon smashed a homer to left field. After the inning, Martinez angrily moved toward the umpires, bench coach Chip Hale restraining him. But Martinez yelled until home plate umpire Sam Holbrook ejected him, leaving Hale to take the team to the finish. Rendon's two-run homer put Washington ahead 5-2 and his two-run double in the ninth added more insurance runs.

US baseball: Nationals beat Astros to force World Series showdown

Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at Alaves as Lucas Perez's sublime solo strike stopped the visitors moving into provisional top spot in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/postponed-el-clasico-to-be-played-on-december-18-spanish-football-federation-257705">La Liga</a> on Tuesday.

Atletico substitute Alvaro Morata scored his third goal in three games to fire them ahead in the 70th minute as Diego Simeone's team struggled to find top form at Mendizorroza.

Alaves' Fernando Pacheco made fine saves to deny Spain striker Morata a second goal and to foil Angel Correa before Perez cut in from the right and lashed a thunderbolt into the top corner with seven minutes remaining.

Atletico are second after 11 games, level on 20 points with surprise leaders Granada who face Getafe on Thursday.

Barcelona, who have 19 points from nine games, can move top if they beat visiting Real Valladolid later on Tuesday.

"They (Alaves) had a great first half, better than us and then Lucas scored that tremendous goal," said Simeone.

"After the break we were better, we won the second ball, attacked the full backs, and if we stick with that and understand what happened in the first half, we'll be fine."

Neither side created any chances of note in a lifeless encounter until Morata's introduction on the hour mark.

Having scored against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and Athletic Bilbao last weekend in La Liga, Morata continued his hot streak with a cool finish after being set up by Correa.

The Argentine forward has been impressive in the absence of record signing Joao Felix, out for a month with an ankle injury.

However former Arsenal forward Perez struck for the fifth consecutive league game to deny the 2014 Spanish champions on a frustrating night.

Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at Alaves as Lucas Perez's sublime solo strike stopped the visitors moving into provisional top spot in La Liga on Tuesday.

Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at Alaves as Lucas Perez's sublime solo strike stopped the visitors moving into provisional top spot in La Liga on Tuesday. Atletico substitute Alvaro Morata scored his third goal in three games to fire them ahead in the 70th minute as Diego Simeone's team struggled to find top form at Mendizorroza. Alaves' Fernando Pacheco made fine saves to deny Spain striker Morata a second goal and to foil Angel Correa before Perez cut in from the right and lashed a thunderbolt into the top corner with seven minutes remaining. Atletico are second after 11 games, level on 20 points with surprise leaders Granada who face Getafe on Thursday. Barcelona, who have 19 points from nine games, can move top if they beat visiting Real Valladolid later on Tuesday. "They (Alaves) had a great first half, better than us and then Lucas scored that tremendous goal," said Simeone. "After the break we were better, we won the second ball, attacked the full backs, and if we stick with that and understand what happened in the first half, we'll be fine." Neither side created any chances of note in a lifeless encounter until Morata's introduction on the hour mark. Having scored against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and Athletic Bilbao last weekend in La Liga, Morata continued his hot streak with a cool finish after being set up by Correa. The Argentine forward has been impressive in the absence of record signing Joao Felix, out for a month with an ankle injury. However former Arsenal forward Perez struck for the fifth consecutive league game to deny the 2014 Spanish champions on a frustrating night.

La Liga: Atletico Madrid held at Alaves after Perez thunderbolt

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his country "will not hesitate to take action to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists" if it identifies Kurdish fighters near the border while adding that he "believed in his Russian partners".

"We halted operation, in that area, in northeastern part of Syria. If we see any YPG/PKK terrorists we will not hesitate to take action to eliminate them," Cavusoglu told reporters in Geneva, ahead of a UN-backed meeting tasked with amending Syria's constitution.

"But we cannot trust the terrorists", Cavusoglu added.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/turkey-kurds-conflict-kurdish-commander-supports-german-plan-258038/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Under an agreement reached by Russian President Putin and his Turkish counterpart Erdogan in Sochi last week, a 150-hour deadline was given for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters to withdraw from a zone extending 30 kilometres back from the Turkish border. The deadline expired on Tuesday.

Turkey views YPG as a terror group linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) outfit.

Turkey President Erdogan has said earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him that Syrian Kurdish fighters would not be allowed to stay in Syria along the Turkish border.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his country "will not hesitate to take action to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists" if it identifies Kurdish fighters near the border while adding that he "believed in his Russian partners".

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his country "will not hesitate to take action to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists" if it identifies Kurdish fighters near the border while adding that he "believed in his Russian partners". "We halted operation, in that area, in northeastern part of Syria. If we see any YPG/PKK terrorists we will not hesitate to take action to eliminate them," Cavusoglu told reporters in Geneva, ahead of a UN-backed meeting tasked with amending Syria's constitution. "But we cannot trust the terrorists", Cavusoglu added. Watch Video: Under an agreement reached by Russian President Putin and his Turkish counterpart Erdogan in Sochi last week, a 150-hour deadline was given for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters to withdraw from a zone extending 30 kilometres back from the Turkish border. The deadline expired on Tuesday. Turkey views YPG as a terror group linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) outfit. Turkey President Erdogan has said earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him that Syrian Kurdish fighters would not be allowed to stay in Syria along the Turkish border.

Will not hesitate to take action if we see YPG terrorists: Turkey foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

US immigration officials said on Tuesday that arrests linked to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-taps-disaster-cyber-funds-to-cover-immigration-246134">US border with Mexico</a> rose 88 per cent in 2019 while adding that nearly half those detained last month were "children or families, many of them led by human-trafficking cartels".

"They are profiting on the backs of this vulnerable population, and that's why it's still a crisis," said Robert Perez, deputy commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection.

Explaining the figures, acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said the average "1,400 apprehensions a day. That's still at crisis levels."

The number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/i-feel-afraid-for-my-country-selena-gomez-on-immigration-crisis-in-united-states-253225">migrants apprehended</a> or turned away at the border actually fell in September to the lowest monthly total of the year, to 52,546, down 64 per cent from a peak in May, the immigration officials pointed out.

However, the combined total still rose 4 per cent over the same month compared to last year, and border arrests for the current fiscal ending in September reached an 11-year high.

The surge in arrests was mainly attributed to those coming from central&nbsp;American countries - &nbsp;Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.&nbsp;

Last year President Trump had declared "zero tolerance" policy towards immigration while urging the Congress to change the "ridiculous" laws, a move which was criticised by Democrats. Trump called for arresting anyone who comes into the country illegally.

"Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is continuing to collaborate with our foreign partners -&nbsp;particularly, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras -&nbsp;to address this as a regional crisis," Morgan said in a White House briefing.

Morgan and Perez confirmed they launched a pilot program in El Paso earlier this month, the Prompt Asylum Claim Review.

"The objective is within that same handful of days ... to get people through an immigration process as quickly as we possibly can, so that a judge, hopefully, makes a decision," Perez said.

Apart from the migrant restrictions, Morgan said 71 miles of new border barrier had been built while adding that a total of 450 miles would be completed by the end of 2020.

"It's a tough process," he said. "You have to obtain the land and land acquisition is a tough thing."

US immigration officials said on Tuesday that arrests linked to US border with Mexico rose 88 per cent in 2019 while adding that nearly half those detained last month were "children or families, many of them led by human-trafficking cartels".

US immigration officials said on Tuesday that arrests linked to US border with Mexico rose 88 per cent in 2019 while adding that nearly half those detained last month were "children or families, many of them led by human-trafficking cartels". "They are profiting on the backs of this vulnerable population, and that's why it's still a crisis," said Robert Perez, deputy commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection. Explaining the figures, acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said the average "1,400 apprehensions a day. That's still at crisis levels." The number of migrants apprehended or turned away at the border actually fell in September to the lowest monthly total of the year, to 52,546, down 64 per cent from a peak in May, the immigration officials pointed out. However, the combined total still rose 4 per cent over the same month compared to last year, and border arrests for the current fiscal ending in September reached an 11-year high. The surge in arrests was mainly attributed to those coming from central American countries - Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Last year President Trump had declared "zero tolerance" policy towards immigration while urging the Congress to change the "ridiculous" laws, a move which was criticised by Democrats. Trump called for arresting anyone who comes into the country illegally. "Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is continuing to collaborate with our foreign partners - particularly, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras - to address this as a regional crisis," Morgan said in a White House briefing. Morgan and Perez confirmed they launched a pilot program in El Paso earlier this month, the Prompt Asylum Claim Review. "The objective is within that same handful of days ... to get people through an immigration process as quickly as we possibly can, so that a judge, hopefully, makes a decision," Perez said. Apart from the migrant restrictions, Morgan said 71 miles of new border barrier had been built while adding that a total of 450 miles would be completed by the end of 2020. "It's a tough process," he said. "You have to obtain the land and land acquisition is a tough thing."

Immigration row: US-Mexico border arrests at 11-year high

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sources-of-whatsapp-other-online-messages-must-be-traced-supreme-court-251922">WhatsApp on Tuesday</a> sued Israeli technology firm NSO group for allegedly targeting "human rights defenders and journalists" as part of a concentrated cyber espionage campaign.

WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said a complaint has been <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whatsapp-threatens-legal-action-against-public-claims-of-messaging-abuses-226344">filed in a US federal court</a> "attributed to technology company called NSO Group."&nbsp;

"As we gathered the information that we lay out in our complaint, we learned that the attackers used servers and Internet-hosting services that were previously associated with NSO," Cathcart said in his blog, adding, "in addition, as our complaint notes, we have tied certain WhatsApp accounts used during the attacks back to NSO."

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Today <a href="https://twitter.com/WhatsApp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WhatsApp</a> is taking a stand against the dangerous use of spyware. NSO Group claims they responsibly serve governments, but we found more than 100 human rights defenders and journalists targeted in an attack last May. This abuse must be stopped. <a href="https://t.co/iSMuwLa9yb">https://t.co/iSMuwLa9yb</a>
— Will Cathcart (@wcathcart) <a href="https://twitter.com/wcathcart/status/1189250601525399552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"While their attack was highly sophisticated, their attempts to cover their tracks were not entirely successful," Cathcart informed.

"It targeted at least 100 human-rights defenders, journalists and other members of civil society across the world. This should serve as a wake-up call for technology companies, governments and all Internet users," Cathcart warned.

Explaining how NSO reportedly targeted users, Cathcart said: "A user would receive what appeared to be a video call, but this was not a normal call. After the phone rang, the attacker secretly transmitted malicious code in an effort to infect the victim’s phone with spyware. The person did not even have to answer the call."

"Tools that enable surveillance into our private lives are being abused, and the proliferation of this technology into the hands of irresponsible companies and governments puts us all at risk," he said in his blog.

WhatsApp is used by some 1.5 billion people monthly and it uses a highly sophisticated end-to-end encrypted messages that cannot be deciphered by WhatsApp or other third parties.

"NSO has previously denied any involvement in the attack, stating that “under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating … of its technology.” But our investigation found otherwise. Now, we are seeking to hold NSO accountable under US state and federal laws, including the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act," Cathcart said.

The lawsuit seeks to have NSO barred from accessing or attempting to access WhatsApp and Facebook's services and seeks unspecified damages.

WhatsApp on Tuesday sued Israeli technology firm NSO group for allegedly targeting "human rights defenders and journalists" as part of a concentrated cyber espionage campaign.

WhatsApp on Tuesday sued Israeli technology firm NSO group for allegedly targeting "human rights defenders and journalists" as part of a concentrated cyber espionage campaign. WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said a complaint has been filed in a US federal court "attributed to technology company called NSO Group." "As we gathered the information that we lay out in our complaint, we learned that the attackers used servers and Internet-hosting services that were previously associated with NSO," Cathcart said in his blog, adding, "in addition, as our complaint notes, we have tied certain WhatsApp accounts used during the attacks back to NSO." Today @WhatsApp is taking a stand against the dangerous use of spyware. NSO Group claims they responsibly serve governments, but we found more than 100 human rights defenders and journalists targeted in an attack last May. This abuse must be stopped. https://t.co/iSMuwLa9yb — Will Cathcart (@wcathcart) October 29, 2019 × "While their attack was highly sophisticated, their attempts to cover their tracks were not entirely successful," Cathcart informed. "It targeted at least 100 human-rights defenders, journalists and other members of civil society across the world. This should serve as a wake-up call for technology companies, governments and all Internet users," Cathcart warned. Explaining how NSO reportedly targeted users, Cathcart said: "A user would receive what appeared to be a video call, but this was not a normal call. After the phone rang, the attacker secretly transmitted malicious code in an effort to infect the victim’s phone with spyware. The person did not even have to answer the call." "Tools that enable surveillance into our private lives are being abused, and the proliferation of this technology into the hands of irresponsible companies and governments puts us all at risk," he said in his blog. WhatsApp is used by some 1.5 billion people monthly and it uses a highly sophisticated end-to-end encrypted messages that cannot be deciphered by WhatsApp or other third parties. "NSO has previously denied any involvement in the attack, stating that “under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating … of its technology.” But our investigation found otherwise. Now, we are seeking to hold NSO accountable under US state and federal laws, including the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act," Cathcart said. The lawsuit seeks to have NSO barred from accessing or attempting to access WhatsApp and Facebook's services and seeks unspecified damages.

WhatsApp sues Israel's NSO for alleged cyber espionage, targeting civil society worldwide

US House of Representatives on Wednesday recognised the 'Armenian genocide' even as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-kurdish-ypg-still-in-syria-border-area-as-deadline-looms-258685">Turkey rejected</a> the official recognition.

"As a meaningless political step, its sole addressees are the Armenian lobby and anti-Turkey groups," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We believe that American friends of Turkey who support the continuation of the alliance and friendly relations will question this grave mistake and those who are responsible will be judged by the conscience of the American people," it added.

The House voted 405-11 in favour of the resolution. The vote recognised the "genocide" killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amnesty-international-says-turkey-deporting-syrians-to-planned-safe-zone-region-258214">Referring to the Kurds</a>, Democratic US Representative Adam Schiff said: "When we see the images of terrified Kurdish families in northern Syria, loading their possessions into cars or carts and fleeing their homes headed to nowhere except away from Turkish bombs and marauding militias, how can we say the crimes of a century ago are in the past?"

"We cannot. We cannot pick and choose which crimes against humanity are convenient to speak about. We cannot cloak our support for human rights in euphemisms. We cannot be cowed into silence by a foreign power," Schiff asserted.

The US lawmakers also urged President Trump to impose sanctions against Turkey over its offensive in northern Syria.

Turkey, however, was quick to denounce the move declaring&nbsp;it "devoid of any historical or legal basis", while adding that it was "incompatible with the spirit of our NATO alliance."

"We urge the US Congress, not to exploit bilateral issues for domestic political consumption and to act in line with the spirit of our Alliance and partnership," the ministry said. 
&nbsp;

US House of Representatives on Wednesday recognised the 'Armenian genocide' even as Turkey rejected the official recognition. "As a meaningless political step, its sole addressees are the Armenian lobby and anti-Turkey groups," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement.

US House of Representatives on Wednesday recognised the 'Armenian genocide' even as Turkey rejected the official recognition. "As a meaningless political step, its sole addressees are the Armenian lobby and anti-Turkey groups," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement. "We believe that American friends of Turkey who support the continuation of the alliance and friendly relations will question this grave mistake and those who are responsible will be judged by the conscience of the American people," it added. The House voted 405-11 in favour of the resolution. The vote recognised the "genocide" killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923. Referring to the Kurds, Democratic US Representative Adam Schiff said: "When we see the images of terrified Kurdish families in northern Syria, loading their possessions into cars or carts and fleeing their homes headed to nowhere except away from Turkish bombs and marauding militias, how can we say the crimes of a century ago are in the past?" "We cannot. We cannot pick and choose which crimes against humanity are convenient to speak about. We cannot cloak our support for human rights in euphemisms. We cannot be cowed into silence by a foreign power," Schiff asserted. The US lawmakers also urged President Trump to impose sanctions against Turkey over its offensive in northern Syria. Turkey, however, was quick to denounce the move declaring it "devoid of any historical or legal basis", while adding that it was "incompatible with the spirit of our NATO alliance." "We urge the US Congress, not to exploit bilateral issues for domestic political consumption and to act in line with the spirit of our Alliance and partnership," the ministry said.

US House recognises Armenian genocide; Turkey calls it 'meaningless'

Beijing will use facial recognition tools to speed up security checks in the city's overcrowded metro, using a 'credit system' to sort passengers into different channels, state-run media reported on Wednesday.

Long queues and commuters arguing with staff over slow security procedures are common sites during rush hour in the metro system of the 20 million-strong metropolis.

The city plans to install cameras that will scan the faces of passengers as they enter a subway station and sort them into different security channels, said Zhan Minghui, director of the Beijing Rail Traffic Control Center.

He said the plan involves creating a "passenger credit system," and individuals on a "white list" will be offered expedited security clearance, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Those who receive "abnormal feedback" after their faces are scanned will be subjected to extra checks.

Zhan did not offer details on the criteria used to sort passengers or what could trigger that type of feedback.

"The technique aims to improve the efficiency of security checks and includes both body checks and luggage screening when large numbers of passengers enter the station," he told an urban transportation forum in Beijing on Tuesday.

The Beijing subway in May said it has started "deducting credit points" from passengers who eat in railway carriages.

The city's subway system currently handles over 12 million trips on a workday and the number is expected to increase to 17 million trips by 2022.

Zhan did not offer a timetable for rolling out the technology.

Facial recognition is gaining traction across China, where it is being used for everything from supermarket checkouts to surveillance.

While researchers have warned of the privacy risks associated with gathering facial recognition data, consumers have widely embraced the technology.

The Universal Studios amusement park under construction in Beijing recently said it will admit visitors without a ticket, thanks to cameras that will scan their faces to determine if they paid for an entry.

Beijing will use facial recognition tools to speed up security checks in the city's overcrowded metro, using a 'credit system' to sort passengers into different channels, state-run media reported on Wednesday.

Beijing will use facial recognition tools to speed up security checks in the city's overcrowded metro, using a 'credit system' to sort passengers into different channels, state-run media reported on Wednesday. Long queues and commuters arguing with staff over slow security procedures are common sites during rush hour in the metro system of the 20 million-strong metropolis. The city plans to install cameras that will scan the faces of passengers as they enter a subway station and sort them into different security channels, said Zhan Minghui, director of the Beijing Rail Traffic Control Center. He said the plan involves creating a "passenger credit system," and individuals on a "white list" will be offered expedited security clearance, Beijing Youth Daily reported. Those who receive "abnormal feedback" after their faces are scanned will be subjected to extra checks. Zhan did not offer details on the criteria used to sort passengers or what could trigger that type of feedback. "The technique aims to improve the efficiency of security checks and includes both body checks and luggage screening when large numbers of passengers enter the station," he told an urban transportation forum in Beijing on Tuesday. The Beijing subway in May said it has started "deducting credit points" from passengers who eat in railway carriages. The city's subway system currently handles over 12 million trips on a workday and the number is expected to increase to 17 million trips by 2022. Zhan did not offer a timetable for rolling out the technology. Facial recognition is gaining traction across China, where it is being used for everything from supermarket checkouts to surveillance. While researchers have warned of the privacy risks associated with gathering facial recognition data, consumers have widely embraced the technology. The Universal Studios amusement park under construction in Beijing recently said it will admit visitors without a ticket, thanks to cameras that will scan their faces to determine if they paid for an entry.

Now, China eyes facial recognition tech for metro security

The timing of the highly anticipated stock market debut of Saudi energy <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-restores-full-oil-output-after-attacks-focused-on-aramco-ipo-253556">colossus Aramco </a>will be dictated by de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's energy minister said Wednesday.

Aramco was expected to launch the first part of a two-stage IPO earlier in October, but the process has been delayed, reportedly due to the prince's dissatisfaction with the valuation of the firm, which had been hoped to reach $2 trillion.

The long-awaited initial public offering will now happen on December 11 on the Riyadh stock market, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television said on Tuesday.

Aramco did not confirm the report and Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman side-stepped the details when he spoke at a major investment conference in Riyadh where the listing has been a topic of discussion.

"I hate this time around to disappoint the media, because I'm not going to talk about OPEC or what we should do, and I'm not going to talk about the IPO," he said to laughs from the audience of policy-makers and top executives.

"It's going to come soon... but it will come at the right time with the right approach, and definitely with the right decision. And it will be a Saudi decision first and foremost, specifically Prince Mohammed's decision," he added.

Prince Abdulaziz is the half-brother of the crown prince, whose ambitious reform plans for the kingdom's economy largely rest on the anticipated $100 billion windfalls from the Aramco listing.

After an initial listing on the domestic stock exchange, Aramco is believed to be planning to sell the rest of a planned tranche of five per cent of the firm on an international bourse.

"The Saudis' current objective is to raise $100 billion through the IPO process, even if that means ultimately selling up to 10 per cent of the company to outside investors," Energy Intelligence said in a report this week.

It cited sources as saying they expect the Saudis to settle on a valuation of $1.6 trillion to $1.7 trillion for the firm.

The timing of the highly anticipated stock market debut of Saudi energy colossus Aramco will be dictated by de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's energy minister said Wednesday.

The timing of the highly anticipated stock market debut of Saudi energy colossus Aramco will be dictated by de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's energy minister said Wednesday. Aramco was expected to launch the first part of a two-stage IPO earlier in October, but the process has been delayed, reportedly due to the prince's dissatisfaction with the valuation of the firm, which had been hoped to reach $2 trillion. The long-awaited initial public offering will now happen on December 11 on the Riyadh stock market, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television said on Tuesday. Aramco did not confirm the report and Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman side-stepped the details when he spoke at a major investment conference in Riyadh where the listing has been a topic of discussion. "I hate this time around to disappoint the media, because I'm not going to talk about OPEC or what we should do, and I'm not going to talk about the IPO," he said to laughs from the audience of policy-makers and top executives. "It's going to come soon... but it will come at the right time with the right approach, and definitely with the right decision. And it will be a Saudi decision first and foremost, specifically Prince Mohammed's decision," he added. Prince Abdulaziz is the half-brother of the crown prince, whose ambitious reform plans for the kingdom's economy largely rest on the anticipated $100 billion windfalls from the Aramco listing. After an initial listing on the domestic stock exchange, Aramco is believed to be planning to sell the rest of a planned tranche of five per cent of the firm on an international bourse. "The Saudis' current objective is to raise $100 billion through the IPO process, even if that means ultimately selling up to 10 per cent of the company to outside investors," Energy Intelligence said in a report this week. It cited sources as saying they expect the Saudis to settle on a valuation of $1.6 trillion to $1.7 trillion for the firm.

Aramco IPO will be Saudi crown prince's decision: Energy minister

A senior White House official testified on Tuesday he was so alarmed by hearing US&nbsp;President Donald Trump ask Ukraine's president to investigate a political rival, Democrat Joe Biden, that he reported the matter to a White House lawyer.

Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman became the first current White House staff member to testify in the Democratic-led House of Representatives inquiry into whether to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-begins-trump-impeachment-inquiry-over-call-to-ukraine-leader-251866">impeach the Republican</a> president.

The Ukraine specialist gave a closed-door deposition for more than 10 hours as Democrats unveiled legislation calling for public hearings and a public report in the impeachment inquiry to blunt Republican criticism the probe has been conducted with too much secrecy.

While the Democrats met Republican demands for a full House vote on impeachment inquiry procedures, holding <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-to-vote-on-thursday-on-how-to-make-trump-impeachment-probe-public-258587">public hearings</a> and releasing transcripts taken in secret, senior Republicans rejected the legislation before it was even introduced.

Appearing on Capitol Hill in his military dress uniform, Vindman, a Ukraine-born US&nbsp;citizen and decorated Iraq war combat veteran, became the first person to testify who listened in on the July 25 call at the heart of the Ukraine scandal.

The inquiry has focused on Trump's request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky&nbsp;on the call that he investigate Biden, a former vice president, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company.

Trump also asked Zelenskiy to investigate a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US&nbsp;election.

Trump made his request after withholding $391 million in security aid approved by Congress to help Ukraine fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky&nbsp;agreed to Trump's requests. The aid was later provided.

"I was concerned by the call," Vindman said in his prepared opening statement to the three House committees conducting the inquiry. "I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a US&nbsp;citizen, and I was worried about the implications for the US&nbsp;government's support of Ukraine."

"I realized that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, it would likely be interpreted as a partisan play which would undoubtedly result in Ukraine losing the bipartisan support it has thus far maintained. This would all undermine US&nbsp;national security," Vindman added.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Ukraine and has called the impeachment probe politically motivated.

Vindman's testimony was some of the most damaging to date for Trump, who faces the possibility of impeachment as he prepares to run for re-election. Biden is a leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination to face him.

Federal law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election.

Vindman, appearing after receiving a subpoena from lawmakers despite the Trump administration policy of not cooperating with the impeachment inquiry, recounted listening in on the call in the White House Situation Room with colleagues from the National Security Council and Vice President Mike Pence's office.

After the call, Vindman said he reported his concerns to the National Security Council's lead counsel.

Vindman said earlier in July he had also reported concerns about previous pressure by the administration on Ukraine to carry out politically motivated investigations to the lawyer.

Vindman called into question the truthfulness of earlier testimony by another administration official, US&nbsp;Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland.

At a July 10 meeting in Washington, Vindman said Sondland, a former Trump donor, told visiting Ukrainian officials they needed to "deliver specific investigations in order to secure a meeting with the president." At that point, Vindman said, then-national security adviser John Bolton cut the meeting short.

According to Vindman's opening statement, Sondland told other US&nbsp;officials in a debriefing after the meeting that it was important that the Ukrainian investigations center on the 2016 election, the Bidens and Burisma.

"I stated to Ambassador&nbsp;Sondland that his statements were inappropriate, that the request to investigate Biden and his son had nothing to do with national security," Vindman said.

Sondland gave a different account of the July 10 events in his own testimony, saying that "if Ambassador Bolton, Dr. Hill or others harboured any misgivings about the propriety of what we were doing, they never shared those misgivings with me, then or later."

Before his testimony, some Trump allies, including Fox News host Laura Ingraham, sought to attack Vindman's integrity and questioned his loyalty to the United States.

Biden, however, described Vindman as a hero, calling attacks on the Army officer's character and loyalty "despicable."

"He's a hell of a patriot," Biden told MSNBC.

After Vindman's testimony, the Democratic Intelligence Committee chairman, Representative Adam Schiff, said he was "appalled" by the critical comments. "He deserves better than that scandalous attack," Schiff told reporters.

Seeking to blunt Republican criticism that the inquiry does not give Trump due process, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi laid out legislation that could be voted on this week setting up a two-stage process for the inquiry.

In the first, the House Intelligence Committee would continue its probe, including via public hearings, with the right to make public transcripts of depositions taken in private.

The intelligence panel would then send a public report on its findings to the House Judiciary Committee, which would conduct its own proceedings and report on "such resolutions, articles of impeachment, or other recommendations as it deems proper."

A lawyer for Trump would be allowed to participate in proceedings in the Judiciary Committee, which eventually could vote on formal charges against the Republican president. House passage of articles of impeachment would trigger a trial in the Republican-led Senate on whether to remove Trump from office.

At a news conference before the measure was unveiled, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said the entire process remained a "sham."

Referring to closed meetings and depositions held by the House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs panels over the past few weeks, McCarthy said: "You can’t put the genie back in the bottle. Due process starts at the beginning."

The White House adopted a similar stance.

"The resolution put forward by Speaker Pelosi confirms that House Democrats’ impeachment has been an illegitimate sham from the start as it lacked any proper authorization by a House vote," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said.

Impeachment is much different from a judicial process, however, and is not governed by the same rules. The US&nbsp;Constitution gives the House broad authority to set ground rules for an impeachment inquiry and Democrats say they are following House rules on investigations.

A senior White House official testified on Tuesday he was so alarmed by hearing US President Donald Trump ask Ukraine's president to investigate a political rival, Democrat Joe Biden, that he reported the matter to a White House lawyer.

A senior White House official testified on Tuesday he was so alarmed by hearing US President Donald Trump ask Ukraine's president to investigate a political rival, Democrat Joe Biden, that he reported the matter to a White House lawyer. Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman became the first current White House staff member to testify in the Democratic-led House of Representatives inquiry into whether to impeach the Republican president. The Ukraine specialist gave a closed-door deposition for more than 10 hours as Democrats unveiled legislation calling for public hearings and a public report in the impeachment inquiry to blunt Republican criticism the probe has been conducted with too much secrecy. While the Democrats met Republican demands for a full House vote on impeachment inquiry procedures, holding public hearings and releasing transcripts taken in secret, senior Republicans rejected the legislation before it was even introduced. Appearing on Capitol Hill in his military dress uniform, Vindman, a Ukraine-born US citizen and decorated Iraq war combat veteran, became the first person to testify who listened in on the July 25 call at the heart of the Ukraine scandal. The inquiry has focused on Trump's request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the call that he investigate Biden, a former vice president, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company. Trump also asked Zelenskiy to investigate a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US election. Trump made his request after withholding $391 million in security aid approved by Congress to help Ukraine fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky agreed to Trump's requests. The aid was later provided. "I was concerned by the call," Vindman said in his prepared opening statement to the three House committees conducting the inquiry. "I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a US citizen, and I was worried about the implications for the US government's support of Ukraine." "I realized that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, it would likely be interpreted as a partisan play which would undoubtedly result in Ukraine losing the bipartisan support it has thus far maintained. This would all undermine US national security," Vindman added. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Ukraine and has called the impeachment probe politically motivated. Vindman's testimony was some of the most damaging to date for Trump, who faces the possibility of impeachment as he prepares to run for re-election. Biden is a leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination to face him. Federal law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election. Vindman, appearing after receiving a subpoena from lawmakers despite the Trump administration policy of not cooperating with the impeachment inquiry, recounted listening in on the call in the White House Situation Room with colleagues from the National Security Council and Vice President Mike Pence's office. After the call, Vindman said he reported his concerns to the National Security Council's lead counsel. Vindman said earlier in July he had also reported concerns about previous pressure by the administration on Ukraine to carry out politically motivated investigations to the lawyer. Vindman called into question the truthfulness of earlier testimony by another administration official, US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland. At a July 10 meeting in Washington, Vindman said Sondland, a former Trump donor, told visiting Ukrainian officials they needed to "deliver specific investigations in order to secure a meeting with the president." At that point, Vindman said, then-national security adviser John Bolton cut the meeting short. According to Vindman's opening statement, Sondland told other US officials in a debriefing after the meeting that it was important that the Ukrainian investigations center on the 2016 election, the Bidens and Burisma. "I stated to Ambassador Sondland that his statements were inappropriate, that the request to investigate Biden and his son had nothing to do with national security," Vindman said. Sondland gave a different account of the July 10 events in his own testimony, saying that "if Ambassador Bolton, Dr. Hill or others harboured any misgivings about the propriety of what we were doing, they never shared those misgivings with me, then or later." Before his testimony, some Trump allies, including Fox News host Laura Ingraham, sought to attack Vindman's integrity and questioned his loyalty to the United States. Biden, however, described Vindman as a hero, calling attacks on the Army officer's character and loyalty "despicable." "He's a hell of a patriot," Biden told MSNBC. After Vindman's testimony, the Democratic Intelligence Committee chairman, Representative Adam Schiff, said he was "appalled" by the critical comments. "He deserves better than that scandalous attack," Schiff told reporters. Seeking to blunt Republican criticism that the inquiry does not give Trump due process, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi laid out legislation that could be voted on this week setting up a two-stage process for the inquiry. In the first, the House Intelligence Committee would continue its probe, including via public hearings, with the right to make public transcripts of depositions taken in private. The intelligence panel would then send a public report on its findings to the House Judiciary Committee, which would conduct its own proceedings and report on "such resolutions, articles of impeachment, or other recommendations as it deems proper." A lawyer for Trump would be allowed to participate in proceedings in the Judiciary Committee, which eventually could vote on formal charges against the Republican president. House passage of articles of impeachment would trigger a trial in the Republican-led Senate on whether to remove Trump from office. At a news conference before the measure was unveiled, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said the entire process remained a "sham." Referring to closed meetings and depositions held by the House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs panels over the past few weeks, McCarthy said: "You can’t put the genie back in the bottle. Due process starts at the beginning." The White House adopted a similar stance. "The resolution put forward by Speaker Pelosi confirms that House Democrats’ impeachment has been an illegitimate sham from the start as it lacked any proper authorization by a House vote," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said. Impeachment is much different from a judicial process, however, and is not governed by the same rules. The US Constitution gives the House broad authority to set ground rules for an impeachment inquiry and Democrats say they are following House rules on investigations.

White House official Vindman raises US national security concern over Trump's call to Zelensky

Louis Vuitton owner LVMH&nbsp;has approached Tiffany &amp; Co with a $14.5 billion acquisition offer, people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the US&nbsp;luxury jeweler grapples with the impact of tariffs on its exports to China.

LVMH, which has for years been looking for ways to expand in the US&nbsp;market, submitted a preliminary, non-binding offer to Tiffany earlier this month, one of the sources said.

LVMH's offer valued Tiffany at about $120 per share, another of the sources added. Tiffany shares ended trading on Friday at $98.55.

Tiffany has hired advisers to review LVMH's offer but has not yet responded to it, and there is no certainty that it will negotiate a deal, according to the sources.

The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. LVMH and Tiffany declined to comment. Bloomberg News reported earlier on Saturday that LVMH was holding talks with Tiffany.

LVMH, which is behind brands such as Fendi, Christian Dior and Givenchy, as well as Veuve Cliquot champagne, has stood out for several years as one of the top performers in the upscale retail sector, where not all labels are benefiting to the same degree from booming Chinese appetite for branded goods.

Tiffany, on the other hand, has not been as resilient. Beyond the tariffs that have been triggered by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-close-to-finalising-part-of-a-phase-one-trade-deal-report-258209">trade war</a> between the United States and China, a lower Chinese domestic sales tax has also contributed to double-digit decreases in its sales to Chinese tourists in the United States and in other destinations.

High-end brands have also long relied on<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-erupt-in-hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-to-clear-rally-258401"> Hong Kong </a>as a major shopping hub drawing visitors from mainland China in particular, and four months of pro-democracy demonstrations are starting to take their toll.

However, earlier this month LVMH, which has a market capitalization of 194 billion euros, beat sales forecasts for the third quarter despite the unrest in Hong Kong. In August, Tiffany reported quarterly earnings that also beat analysts' expectations, thanks to a drop in marketing costs.

Tiffany has been refreshing its offerings with more affordable items such as pendants and earrings, to appeal to millennials who have been gravitating to lower-priced competitors such as Denmark's Pandora&nbsp;and Signet Jewelers.

Paris-headquartered LVMH is controlled by the Arnault family and is led by Bernard Arnault, France's richest man. Based in New York and best known for its diamond engagement rings, Tiffany operates more than 300 retail stores globally.

Louis Vuitton owner LVMH has approached Tiffany & Co with a $14.5 billion acquisition offer, people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the US luxury jeweler grapples with the impact of tariffs on its exports to China.

Louis Vuitton owner LVMH has approached Tiffany & Co with a $14.5 billion acquisition offer, people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the US luxury jeweler grapples with the impact of tariffs on its exports to China. LVMH, which has for years been looking for ways to expand in the US market, submitted a preliminary, non-binding offer to Tiffany earlier this month, one of the sources said. LVMH's offer valued Tiffany at about $120 per share, another of the sources added. Tiffany shares ended trading on Friday at $98.55. Tiffany has hired advisers to review LVMH's offer but has not yet responded to it, and there is no certainty that it will negotiate a deal, according to the sources. The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. LVMH and Tiffany declined to comment. Bloomberg News reported earlier on Saturday that LVMH was holding talks with Tiffany. LVMH, which is behind brands such as Fendi, Christian Dior and Givenchy, as well as Veuve Cliquot champagne, has stood out for several years as one of the top performers in the upscale retail sector, where not all labels are benefiting to the same degree from booming Chinese appetite for branded goods. Tiffany, on the other hand, has not been as resilient. Beyond the tariffs that have been triggered by the trade war between the United States and China, a lower Chinese domestic sales tax has also contributed to double-digit decreases in its sales to Chinese tourists in the United States and in other destinations. High-end brands have also long relied on Hong Kong as a major shopping hub drawing visitors from mainland China in particular, and four months of pro-democracy demonstrations are starting to take their toll. However, earlier this month LVMH, which has a market capitalization of 194 billion euros, beat sales forecasts for the third quarter despite the unrest in Hong Kong. In August, Tiffany reported quarterly earnings that also beat analysts' expectations, thanks to a drop in marketing costs. Tiffany has been refreshing its offerings with more affordable items such as pendants and earrings, to appeal to millennials who have been gravitating to lower-priced competitors such as Denmark's Pandora and Signet Jewelers. Paris-headquartered LVMH is controlled by the Arnault family and is led by Bernard Arnault, France's richest man. Based in New York and best known for its diamond engagement rings, Tiffany operates more than 300 retail stores globally.

French luxury group LVMH offers to buy US jeweler Tiffany & Co: Sources

Vlatko Andonovski was vaulted into one of the most coveted positions in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-womens-team-fights-back-against-governing-bodys-pay-claims-254494">women's soccer</a> on Monday, taking the helm of the United States women's national team in the wake of their record-extending <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-women-footballers-win-world-cup-battle-but-still-fighting-for-equal-pay-234070">fourth World Cup victory</a>.

Andonovski, a coach in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), takes over from Jill Ellis who, after leading the team to a second back-to-back World Cup title in July, announced that she would step down.

“Vlatko is known for his deep understanding of the game, his unmatched preparation and his tactical flexibility," US&nbsp;Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro told reporters at a media conference announcing the appointment.

"Frankly, I can’t imagine a more perfect match than this coach for this team at this moment in time."

The Macedonian-born Andonovski, 43, told reporters that qualifying for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cold-comfort-tokyo-2020-tests-fake-snow-to-beat-the-heat-249360">Tokyo 2020 Olympic</a> tournament was "first thing on the agenda" and that he would mix the team's deep collection of veteran players in among new prospects.

"We have a very experienced team –- we have players that have been on the international stage, that have won big games, big tournaments, so we’re going to rely heavily on them, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to expand the roster," said Andonovski.

A former player himself, Andonovski had served as a head coach in the NWSL since 2013, a stint that included two championships, in 2014 and 2015.

Most recently, he coached Reign FC, working with current US&nbsp;national team member Megan Rapinoe, and taking the team to the league semi-finals, despite losing some players to injury and World Cup competition during the season.

National team General Manager Kate Markgraf said she had spoken to current and former players during the selection process and that Andonovski's coaching record "speaks for itself".

He joins the national team during a transformative year, months after the players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against their governing body.

Asked about the issue of gender pay equity, Andonovski said he was "very respectful of the drive, of the push that the players have".

The team sued US&nbsp;Soccer in March and now awaits a May 2020 trial date after mediation between the two parties fell apart in August.

Vlatko Andonovski was vaulted into one of the most coveted positions in women's soccer on Monday, taking the helm of the United States women's national team in the wake of their record-extending fourth World Cup victory.

Vlatko Andonovski was vaulted into one of the most coveted positions in women's soccer on Monday, taking the helm of the United States women's national team in the wake of their record-extending fourth World Cup victory. Andonovski, a coach in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), takes over from Jill Ellis who, after leading the team to a second back-to-back World Cup title in July, announced that she would step down. “Vlatko is known for his deep understanding of the game, his unmatched preparation and his tactical flexibility," US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro told reporters at a media conference announcing the appointment. "Frankly, I can’t imagine a more perfect match than this coach for this team at this moment in time." The Macedonian-born Andonovski, 43, told reporters that qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament was "first thing on the agenda" and that he would mix the team's deep collection of veteran players in among new prospects. "We have a very experienced team –- we have players that have been on the international stage, that have won big games, big tournaments, so we’re going to rely heavily on them, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to expand the roster," said Andonovski. A former player himself, Andonovski had served as a head coach in the NWSL since 2013, a stint that included two championships, in 2014 and 2015. Most recently, he coached Reign FC, working with current US national team member Megan Rapinoe, and taking the team to the league semi-finals, despite losing some players to injury and World Cup competition during the season. National team General Manager Kate Markgraf said she had spoken to current and former players during the selection process and that Andonovski's coaching record "speaks for itself". He joins the national team during a transformative year, months after the players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against their governing body. Asked about the issue of gender pay equity, Andonovski said he was "very respectful of the drive, of the push that the players have". The team sued US Soccer in March and now awaits a May 2020 trial date after mediation between the two parties fell apart in August.

US women's national soccer team appoints Vlatko Andonovski as head coach

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